The Effect of Power
by animatedrose
Summary: Fifteen years ago, ZPD's first rabbit officer Judy Hopps met her end at the jaws of a savage fox named Nick Wilde. Rudy Hopps, her little brother, has enlisted in ZPD in hopes of solving a case that hasn't been touched since then. Along the way, he will need to leave his law-abiding dream behind. Justice can only be served from the other side of the law...
1. Prologue

Got this idea in my head after seeing all the AUs revolving around Bellwether winning in the Museum and making her anti-predator regime a reality. For this story, Nick indeed killed Judy in the museum and was subsequently detained by the ZPD, who Bellwether fooled with her story.

This will be mainly OC-centric but canon characters will play a part.

I hope you like it. Enjoy!

Zootopia: The Effect of Power

Prologue

It had been fifteen years since ZPD's first rabbit officer Judy Hopps met her end at the jaws of a savage fox named Nick Wilde in the Natural History Museum in Savanna Central. The entire city mourned her passing, the passing of the one who found the biological link between predators and their savage ways. A link that one Dawn Bellwether, new mayor of Zootopia, was hard at work attempting to solve.

Predators going savage had increased dramatically from the original case file of fifteen missing predators that the ZPD had taken on. Those numbers skyrocketed instantly after Judy Hopps' death. This heightened the call for predators to be regulated and controlled in defense of the primarily prey population of the city.

With much regret, Mayor Bellwether passed the infamous Muzzle and Shock Collar Law, declaring that all predators be outfitted with a shock collar containing a tracker to monitor their movements. Those with a history of aggression were required to wear a muzzle outside of their homes, the kind of muzzle being based on the animal's past aggressive actions.

There was backlash against this, of course. Predators from all over the city protested against this segregation, declaring it species profiling and separation between past dietary habits. Most predators had no interest in the prey population. Those that had gone savage shouldn't reflect back on predators that had never done anything wrong.

But the calls for control and protection by the prey drowned the predators' voices out. That was the perk of being over 90% of the city's population.

And Dawn Bellwether followed the majority's call. The law was enacted six months after Judy Hopps' death and declared to be in her memory. Bellwether urged other major cities to follow her move, citing sources that pointed to other savage attacks in cities worldwide.

A movement was born, but not everyone happily jumped on board.

The criminal underbelly of the city was forced completely underground to avoid encounters with police and supporters of Bellwether's regime. Many of these animals, the Big family above all else, were listed as individuals to be detained and added to the tracking system. Those that refused to submit often did not survive.

Some cities protested heavily against the laws in Zootopia and the violent segregation between predators and prey there. Zootopia lost quite a bit of support, which only made Mayor Bellwether push her agenda further. Those cities that refused to aid the effort found themselves being swamped with savage attack cases of their own without warning. Many lives were lost in these mysterious swarms of attacks.

Small towns and villages out in the rural countryside saw no reason for the segregation and, separated by great distance from the big cities, did not see any savage cases in their hometowns. Many of these places were forgotten about in the support scramble and remained off-radar. The publicized attacks on the big cities caused many of these animals, predator and prey alike, to avoid any further moving and perpetuated the suddenly influx in belief that staying where you are is the best option available. Small towns' populations boomed drastically.

One such case was the tiny farming town of Bunnyburrow, now infamous for being the place of birth of one Judy Hopps. The Hopps family made up the majority of the town's citizens with their hundreds of children, nearing five hundred now since Judy had died. The past fifteen years had been hard on the Hopps family but staying depressed was not in a bunny's nature, especially those of hard-working carrot farmers, like the Hopps.

The fifteen year anniversary of Judy's death was now accompanied by a new milestone in the Hopps' family. As they said goodbye again to Judy, they now also had to say goodbye to another member of the family.

For the first time since Judy had died, the ZPD had a new rabbit officer in their midst.


	2. Chapter 1: Not Judy

This story is also posted on my AO3 account. Just so you know.

Chapter 1: Not Judy

"And do you have fresh underwear? Heaven knows how quickly you went through those as a kit. And what about your deo—"

"Mom! I think I have everything and then some! My bag isn't getting any lighter, you know!"

At the train platform stood the infamous parents of famous ZPD rabbit officer Judy Hopps. Stu and Bonnie Hopps fretted over their son, twenty-one year old Rudy Hopps. Rudy was tall and young, not much different appearance-wise from his parents—gray fur, slightly lean frame that could still shed another pound or two, large feet—and bearing the brilliant violet eyes of his famous older sister.

He had been six when Judy had died. Rudy, daring as ever, had decided to be a police officer in her honor when he grew up. Training had been difficult on the bunny but his determination, just like his late older sister's, had refused to be smothered. He came out near the top of his class and had been assigned to Zootopia on "special recommendation", though whose recommendation, Rudy had no idea.

His name appeared to carry a lot of weight back in the academy, which had both pleased and frustrated Rudy. The drill sergeant, a wildebeest, had been keener to shout advice at him than shut his efforts down. Rudy remembered the horror stories that Judy had told him when she had returned from officer training school. While that level of difficulty was still present, it was almost as though the instructors were more merciful toward them now. There weren't any insults tossed around or any problems using the toilet. Instructors and classmates alike seemed less inclined to rag on him than they would anyone else.

Not to mention the expectation of success. It was like they saw him as Judy and expected nothing less than top of his class. While he was ranked third, he could tell that his instructor was not as thrilled as Rudy was. It was annoying. He wasn't Judy!

Even ranked third, he was still picked for ZPD. Rudy honestly wondered if it was rigged by this "special recommendation" person. He hoped not. He wanted to achieve this with his own skills and effort, not because it was handed to him by people who knew Judy and wanted to see her brother be her. That would be unfair to everyone else in the academy.

Today was his day to leave Bunnyburrow and its forever-growing community numbers far behind him. All he had to do now was step on the train.

At this rate, he was starting to think he was getting sabotaged. His bag had not been this heavy when he left the house.

"Oh yes! Gideon and Jackson and Hansel and Heidi Grey brought some pies for you to eat on the way," his mother Bonnie continued on. "Can't have you going hungry. It's such a long trip to Zootopia from here."

Rudy couldn't help but smile when he heard that. Gideon Grey was such a close friend of the family. Where other bunnies saw foxes as sly, evil predators, the Greys were rather lax and kind for foxes. He'd heard stories from his parents and Judy about how awful foxes used to be. He remembered seeing the scars beneath Judy's cheek fur from a bad encounter with Gideon when they were children. It was hard to believe that such a bully was now the same fox that brought pies over every few days to sell.

Gideon had gone on to find a lovely vixen to marry. They had three equally lovely children now—Jackson and the twins Hansel and Heidi. Jackson was thirteen now while the twins were just under a year younger. The red fox cubs were a frequent sight on the farm, wrestling and playing with the baby bunnies. Jackson and Rudy were like brothers, they were so close.

Jackson had said his goodbyes last night when he and Rudy spent their last night together in the hayloft of the Hopps barn. They lounged in the hay, watching the stars. Rudy was going to miss that most of all about Bunnyburrow. You apparently couldn't see the stars very well in the city.

 _"_ _Promise you'll come back and visit?"_

 _"_ _Of course, Jackson. You're like my little brother. I'll always come back."_

 _"…_ _Don't die, okay?"_

 _"_ _Die? Where'd that come from?"_

 _"_ _Dad says all the predators in the big cities are going crazy. 'Savage', he said. He thinks you're gonna get hurt."_

 _"_ _What?"_

 _"_ _He was talking to your dad. I don't think they want you to go."_

 _"_ _Of course they don't. If mom and dad had it their way, none of us Hopps would ever leave Bunnyburrow. We'd all stay here and farm carrots forever. That's not the life for me and it wasn't for Judy either."_

 _"_ _But she—"_

 _"_ _Died. I know…but she died doing what she loved."_

 _"…_ _I don't want you to die."_

 _"_ _Jackson, I'm not gonna die. I'm gonna do what Judy couldn't. I'm gonna fix this 'savage predator' problem."_

 _"…_ _What if you can't?"_

 _"_ _You never know until you try, right?"_

 _"…_ _Just don't die."_

 _"_ _I promise I won't die."_

"Mom, really! Stop putting stuff in my bag! I won't be able to carry it soon!" Rudy complained.

"But you need this!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Dad!"

"Let your mother do what she does best, Rudy."

"You're sabotaging me!" Rudy childishly accused. "You're making it so I can't get on the train and go to Zootopia!"

Stu and Bonnie shuffled awkwardly. Hit the nail on the head. Rudy swallowed his anger and took a deep breath.

"Look…I get it. You don't want me to end up like Judy. I can't promise I won't…but you've gotta let me try. I… I can't stay here forever."

"Well, why not? We have," Stu pointed out.

"That's you! You gave up your dreams to have all of us! But I'm not ready to give up my dreams yet!" Rudy protested. "At least let me try before convincing me to give up!"

"Honey, we… We just want you to be safe," Bonnie said softly.

The mom guilt trip. Rudy hated that. His ears lowered before he moved in and hugged her. "I know. I do too. But I need to do this. It's what I want. You… You let Judy go. Why can't you let me?"

Neither parent responded. Rudy freed one arm and beckoned his dad over. The trio hugged. In the distance, a train whistle sounded.

"I'll call every night, every other if not. You'll always know I'm okay," Rudy promised, pulling away from his parents. "I won't lie. I won't hide secrets. You'll get the truth every time. I promise."

Bonnie sniffled before beginning to cry. Stu gathered his wife up, stroking her gray fur. The train pulled up with a billow of smoke and a grinding of wheels on tracks. Rudy pulled away.

"Time to go," he admitted.

"Oh! One more thing!" Bonnie cried.

"Mom, if you add anything else, I won't be able to lift my ba—"

Bonnie pressed a kiss to his cheek. Rudy blushed, face hot. He touched the spot before smiling.

"I think that's the lightest thing you've given me today, mom."

"Every night, okay? If you don't call me at least every other night, I'm marching into Zootopia and bringing you home," Bonnie promised.

"Got it," Rudy nodded.

He hauled his duffel bag onto his shoulder. It had gained at least five or six pounds since he'd left the house that morning. Good thing he's taken that heavy-lifting class back in officer training school. Turning to the train, he dashed inside.

"Get to the front-top view! Judy said it was amazing there!" Bonnie called.

"Got it!" Rudy called back before the medium mammal door closed behind him.

Rudy raced down the car and up the stairs that led to the glass-encased top of the train in front of the smokestack. He was relieved to finally put his bag down, wondering how pies and underwear and other so-called necessities could weigh so much compared to what he had already packed. His shoulders ached from the trek.

He hopped onto the seats of the empty top-view compartment and looked out onto the platform. With a sharp jerk, the train started to move. Stu and Bonnie were there, waving at him when they saw him through the glass. His five hundred brothers and sisters waved and cried and cheered as the train slowly pulled away from Bunnyburrow.

At the end of the platform, detached from the Hopps family, were five red foxes. Gideon and his wife, the twins bickering over a stuffed doll…and Jackson. Rudy waved, catching the young fox's attention.

Jackson began to run, ignoring a shout from his father. The thirteen year old tore along the grass, trying to keep pace with the train. His green eyes locked with Rudy's and he smiled, mouth moving.

 _"_ _Don't forget about me, okay?"_

Rudy smiled before mouthing his own message.

 _"_ _I wouldn't dare."_

The young fox slowed down, coming to a stop by a thick tree. The twins caught up to him, chattering loudly and pointing at the train. Rudy waved again but the twins didn't see him. Jackson waved wildly. His parents caught up, Gideon doubled over and panting, his wife rubbing his broad back.

Rudy felt his heart twinge when Bunnyburrow and the Grey family slipped from view. He was leaving his old life behind to follow a dream that his older sister had spawned. His sister had died trying to fulfill that dream.

 _"…_ _Don't die, okay?"_

Jackson's tiny voice echoed in his head as the rabbit settled onto the seat, hands folded on his stomach, eyes sliding closed. It would be 200 miles until they reached Zootopia's welcome sign. A nap would be a good start to his adventure.

So Rudy Hopps drifted off, train rattling around him as it made its slow journey toward Zootopia.

.o.o.o.o.

 _"_ _Mayor Dawn Bellwether has been pushing for submission to the Muzzle and Shock Collar law after two tigers from Gazelle's show went savage and attacked several fans during a concert. Gazelle has declared that nothing was wrong with her coworkers prior to the show and promises that no harmful intent was meant. She still refuses to fire her predatory coworkers in favor of prey coworkers, as encouraged by many of her agents."_

"I'm starting to think that all of these guys are blind to the color blue."

"It works in our favor regardless," Bellwether said, turning off the TV that began to show a replay of her push to remain mayor for the coming election. "Still no trouble?"

"Nothing. The whole operation's working smoothly," the tall sheep, Doug, replied. "Though, in case anyone does notice the blue eventually, I'm working on making it colorless. It's taking a lot more time to manufacture that way, though."

"And distribution?"

"Sent six full shipments last night to cities across the country. There was even an overseas shipment in there. This stuff is spreading fast. Soon predators all over will be under prey control. In my opinion, this is a mission success."

"Success means that there is no chance of failure," Bellwether argued. "Until every city and every predator has submitted to my agenda, it is not a success."

"How can it not be a success?" Doug asked, annoyed. "You've got Zootopia as a whole under your hoof, the underground crime rings are running scared, every predator has been collared and most are muzzled, the ZPD isn't questioning you, and the bunny hero is long gone."

"And until every city and town in the world is like this, it is not a success," Bellwether declared firmly.

"We'll get there. Relax," Doug reassured.

"Speaking of Judy, how is our dear guest holding up? It is the fifteenth anniversary, after all," Bellwether asked sweetly. "You've told him, right?"

"He's watching the live feed of the celebratory parade right now. He's…enjoying it," Doug grinned. "He'll watch it until the end, as he has every year. Not like he has a choice."

"Any word on the individuals that still need to be submitted to the law?"

"You mean Big and all those underground? No word yet. Every time we catch a polar bear or arctic fox or shrew, they off themselves with poison before we can interrogate them. The poison they're carrying has a near instant effect. Pretty potent stuff that old Big is passing around."

Bellwether frowned, hoofs clenched. "No matter. Tell me about the new recruit. He's on his way today, yes?"

"Yep. Wondering why you endorsed him, though," Doug noted.

"Because it'd look bad if I didn't," Bellwether replied, accepting a cup of tea from a coati that entered the room. "After all, he is a Hopps. One of Judy's little brothers, actually. Since it's the fifteenth anniversary of her death, it's only right that I endorse him and have him assigned here in her honor. It'll make me look better as mayor for the election, placing the second rabbit officer to graduate from the academy into ZPD's ranks."

"Sounds more like you may be shooting yourself in the hoof, if you ask me," Doug admitted.

"Doug, you worry too much. Judy was no issue when she was here. Neither will Rudy when he gets here," Bellwether stated, sipping her tea.

"And what if he gets nosy?"

"About what? The law? There's nothing fishy about the story I made because almost all of it is true," Bellwether replied. "Nick Wilde did go savage. He did attack and kill Judy. He was captured and imprisoned by the ZPD. He remains imprisoned to this day."

Doug shrugged, accepting that. "You think Big might make a move? Word on the street was that Hopps had it in with him and the underground."

"We'll just have to keep a close eye on Rudy then. Maybe he'll even wind up leading us to them," Bellwether suggested, smiling deviously. "Wouldn't that be quite a victory? Big moves in to secure a valuable asset…and his whole operation gets apprehended because of it. Oh, I think I might do that."

"And what if he doesn't rise to the bait? The underground isn't stupid," Doug pointed out.

"Then we try and try and try until they slip up. They'll have to one day," Bellwether replied. "Try everything we can, everything we must."

"Okay…" Doug backed away, turning to leave. "Hopps should be here before the day ends. He might even catch the tail end of the parade."

"I have it recorded for him. He'll want to see it," Bellwether nodded. "Judy is famous, after all. What brother wouldn't want to witness that?"

Doug left the room, leaving Bellwether alone with the coati. The raccoon-like mammal filled her tea cup again.

"Lovely tea, Claude," she complimented.

"Of course, ma'am," the coati bowed his head respectively. "We're still having…issues…regarding dear Manny. A lot of people say that, due to his status as a predator, that he should be muzzled and collared."

"They don't seem to be willing to do their research on him then. End of discussion," Bellwether said shortly.

The coati, Claude, obediently fell silent. He glanced discreetly at the door of the office where another mammal stood, far taller than he and the mayor. Nervous brown eyes met his before the mammal slunk away into the hall.

"More tea, ma'am?"

"Thank you, Claude."

.o.o.o.o.

Rudy's heart was racing as the train came to a stop in Savanna Central's train station. Hauling his heavy duffel bag over his shoulder, he darted down to the main cars and ducked around larger mammals. His nap had prevented him from noticing how packed the train had become, his only clue being the children that had joined him in the viewing compartment atop the train when they entered Zootopia.

It was beautiful, just like in all the postcards and magazine articles. Sahara Square, Tundratown, Rainforest District, Little Rodentia, Savanna Central—it was all beautiful and awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping. So many different mammals, too! Half of them, Rudy had never seen before.

Rudy headed for the medium mammal door and exited onto the train platform. The station was bustling with mammals of all shapes and sizes, furry and hairless, big and small, tall and short, thin and fat, etc. It was such a contrast from Bunnyburrow, home of primarily bunnies with a few other mammals around their size. It made Rudy's head spin.

A cardboard sign caught Rudy's attention. The name RUDY HOPPS was written in blocky letters with black marker on it. Carrying the sign was a cape buffalo with long horns and thick black fur. The hair on his snout and head was beginning to turn gray. He wore a blue uniform—police officer.

Rudy made a beeline for him. "Um, sir! I'm Rudy Hopps! Hi!"

The buffalo looked him over. Rudy instantly felt nervous. Was he being too bold? Was he not the guy this police officer was looking for? He'd just seen HOPPS and assumed…

"Yep."

"Huh?" Rudy jolted.

"Come on, Hopps. I'll let you drop your bags off on the way. The mayor wants you publicly badged in front of the city."

"What? Publicly badged?" Rudy asked, grappling with his bag, having nearly dropped it in shock.

The buffalo reached over, picking up the duffel bag with ease. "You heard me. Now hop to it, Hopps. We've got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it in. I need to get you in uniform and on that stage in less than an hour."

"An hour?!" Rudy yelped, stepping on it.

The buffalo hailed a taxi and had it take them to Grand Pangolin Apartments. An old nine-banded armadillo was there waiting for him. Instead of being handed a bunch of paperwork to fill out, all he got was a room key and directions to an upstairs room. She was a kindly old landlady, smiling sweetly at him as he went to drop off his bag.

The apartment was small, far smaller than he imagined. It was probably a good thing that he was a bunny. It looked bigger than his room back home. There was a bed, a desk and chair, a microwave, a mini-fridge, and a tiny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower.

Rudy tossed his bag on the bed and ran back out to the taxi. The vehicle took them straight to the Zootopia Police Department. The buffalo moved fast once they left the taxi, half-forcing the young bunny to run to keep up with him. Everybody in the station, officer and criminal alike, made way for the buffalo officer and the rabbit trying to keep up with him. Reaching a door, the buffalo walked in and dug through a closet there.

"Um, sir? I don't think I ever got your name," Rudy hesitantly said.

"Bogo. Chief Bogo."

"Chief?" Rudy squeaked. "You mean…?"

"Chief of District 1. Your chief," the buffalo confirmed, pulling out various blue uniforms, tossing away ones that were too big. "I was also your sister's chief."

"…You were?"

Bogo nodded before sighed, stepping away from the closet. "You're a size bigger than your sister. We'll need to get it fitted but this is the closest that we have on hand." He tossed a small blue uniform at the rabbit. "Go in the room over there and change. Just leave your civilian clothes on the counter. We'll come back for those after the mayor's electoral publicity stunt is over."

"I thought it was a public badging," Rudy recalled, closing the room door behind him and slipping his shirt off.

"It is. The mayor's on the fast track to being reelected and you coming here is her newest ammo of why she should be reelected," Bogo replied, leaning against the desk as he waited. "She endorsed your sister and now she's endorsing you. She seems to have a soft spot for you bunnies."

"Endorsing? Wait!" Rudy pulled the pants on, fumbling with the buttons. "I got a special recommendation to be sent here! Was that her?"

"Most likely, yes," Bogo confirmed. "She's been keeping an eye on your progress. She wouldn't stop talking to me about you when she caught word that a Hopps was in the officer training school."

"Did she…make sure I got sent to you?"

"Mostly likely, yes," Bogo confirmed again.

Rudy felt a bit bitter. So somebody had been pulling strings for him because of his sister. That made his gut burn with anger. None of this was because of his own skill or efforts. This was all because of his sister's success. He wasn't Judy!

"I told her it was a bad idea," Bogo continued. "She seems to think I'm good with you bunnies. I'm not seeing it since your sister died. Sure, she quit and wasn't ZPD when she died…but she was under my command while she was here…and she was one of ours. She was still my responsibility and she died trying to solve a case I gave her."

"…It's what she wanted to do," Rudy muttered, buttoning up his shirt.

"It's not about what you want. It's about what you're capable of," Bogo snorted harshly. "What she wanted…killed her."

Rudy felt his heart frost over. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

"…But it got that fox off the streets. I knew he was trouble the instant he got in the way of that case back in Rainforest District. Judy trusted him and he killed her," Bogo grunted.

"What happened to him?" Rudy asked, folding his civilian clothes up.

"He was captured and restrained by my officers and taken to a hospital to be checked out. The mayor went to see him personally. Like the other predators, he'd gone savage and showed no signs of recovering anytime soon, so he was locked up in Cliffside with the rest until further notice. Last I checked, he was still there under Bellwether's orders."

"He never got better?" Rudy asked, setting his clothes on the shelf and opening the door, reentering the office.

Bogo looked at him. "None of them did. The survivors are still there to this day."

.o.o.o.o.

"Welcome to the announcement of our newest member of ZPD's first district!"

Rudy couldn't help but stare. The mayor was a little sheep, not much bigger than him. With her was a coati—some kind of long-faced raccoon animal—and probably the tallest fox he had ever seen. The crowd in front of them was made up of current ZPD officers as well as reporters and important onlookers. Cameras were rolling and microphones were ready.

Rudy couldn't help but feel nervous standing behind the curtain, adjusting the buttons and symmetry of his uniform. It was a bit tight on him, especially around the shoulders and waist, but it was bearable for the day. He wondered if this was Judy's old uniform. If so, her scent had long since faded over the past fifteen years since she'd last worn it.

"I know we've had a whole slew of new recruits, especially regarding species. Since the downgrading of predator officers in order to increase safety over the past fifteen years, we've had trouble with our members keeping up with unruly citizens in our lovely city," Mayor Bellwether said loudly. "This new recruit not only should help solve that…but may even bring hope to our city in a time of such tumultuous change. May I present to you…Rudy Hopps from Bunnyburrow!"

Following his cue, Rudy stepped out from behind the curtain. Applause and shouts of joy met his ears. His cheeks had to be glowing under his fur, he was certain. He crossed the stage until he reached Bellwether. The coati and the tall fox stood off to the side of the stage, just watching.

"As you all know, today is the fifteenth anniversary of the death of our beloved first rabbit officer, Judy Hopps."

Bellwether's voice trembled. She looked ready to cry behind her big glasses. Rudy wanted to hug her, comfort her.

"What a better way to celebrate it, not just with our usual Zootopian fashion, but by bringing another beacon of hope to life within the ZPD. Rudy Hopps has been assigned to District 1 under Chief Bogo and will be expected to follow in the footsteps of both his fellow officers…and his beloved older sister, Judy. Give him a big round of applause!"

Rudy smiled, praying he wasn't crying on camera. He had to guess this was being beamed all over Zootopia, as well as back home in Bunnyburrow. His parents had to be proud.

Bellwether wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I get teary when I think of her." She straightened, clearing her throat. "Rudy Hopps, welcome to the ZPD."

Rudy stayed ramrod straight as she pinned his badge and nameplate to the front of his uniform. He saluted to her afterward. Bellwether smiled. The crowd went wild.

Reporters broke in with questions. "Mayor, do you think this will have any effect on the number of predators going savage?" "Will Hopps be safe out there after what happened to his sister fifteen years ago?" "Has there been any word on a cure for this savage condition?"

Rudy didn't get to hear the rest of the questions or any answers to those questions. He was led off-stage by the tall fox, the coati staying behind to support Bellwether.

"Thanks," Rudy said.

The tall fox smiled, bobbing his head. He made signs with his hands. Rudy blinked in confusion.

"He's saying you're welcome, Hopps."

"Chief Bogo!" Rudy yelped, turning to face the buffalo.

"Manny there can't speak, so he signs instead," Bogo explained.

"How did he end up mute?" Rudy asked.

"Maned wolves generally aren't looked upon kindly based on their appearances," Bogo replied.

Rudy blinked before looking at the tall fox—not a fox at all but some kind of wolf. Maned wolf? He'd never heard of it.

"A lot of protestors are making a big stink about him. I wouldn't pay mind to it. Manny's a good mammal," Bogo stated. "Back to Mayor Bellwether and Claude with you, Manny. Be good."

Manny made a few more signs before waving. Then he darted back upstage and took his place by the coati. Reporters kept calling out questions. The entirety of District 1's ZPD unit rose and left in various squad cars and vehicles. Bogo summoned another taxi to take him and Rudy back to the station.

"You did good," Bogo admitted when the rabbit exited the changing room, back in his street clothes. "I'll have the uniform fitted for you by tomorrow or so. I expect you in bright and early. We have a lot of cases to solve with these savage predators and I need every able-bodied mammal at my disposal."

Rudy saluted. "You can count on me, sir."

"I better be able to," Bogo muttered, turning away to fold up the tiny uniform. "Dismissed. Go home and get situated. Be here by seven tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Rudy nodded.

"And Hopps?"

"Yes, sir?"

"…Get some proper sleep. While you can."

"…Yes, sir."

.o.o.o.o.

"How was your day? You looked so hurried earlier."

"It was good," Rudy replied. "Um… Why didn't I have to fill out any paperwork? Isn't that what you do when you get an apartment? You know, like leases and stuff?"

The old nine-banded armadillo landlady chuckled softly. "That was all handled prior to your arrival by the ZPD. Until you have a steady paycheck and get situated, your rent and such is being handled by them. Don't worry about it, Rudy, you're in good hands. Your sister loved it here."

"Wait! My sister? She lived here?" Rudy asked, shocked.

"Yes," the landlady nodded. "In the same room you are in right now. I thought it only fair. By the way, you have a package here from the mayor. Lucky you!"

She handed Rudy a small box wrapped in plain brown paper. Rudy gave her his thanks and darted upstairs to his room. Loud shouts came from behind the wall by his bed. Noisy neighbors. Wonderful. At least he didn't know them, unlike with his siblings back home.

He unwrapped the package until he was staring at a DVD case. There was a letter inside. Rudy set the case on the desk and read through the note.

Dear Rudy Hopps,

Welcome to Zootopia. We are so glad to have you here in time for your sister's fifteenth anniversary. What a gift!

Unless Bogo told you already, I'm the one who special recommended you to be sent to ZPD. With all the chaos happening here, especially in light of a few new laws I put in place to regulate the local predators, ZPD has been having trouble recruiting officers with the necessary skills to maneuver and negotiate around the city in search of criminals and those dodging the law. When I heard that a Hopps was in the officer training school, I just knew I had to have you sent to ZPD.

The disk I've sent you contains a video of the celebratory parade held this afternoon for your sister. In light of all the publicity at your badging, I'm sure you didn't get to see it. It really is a treat, so please watch it as soon as you can!

If you ever need anything, you can reach me at the number below. I'll always answer and help you as best I can.

We here in Zootopia are all very glad you've chosen to follow in your sister Judy's footsteps. We expect great things of you. Good luck.

Dawn Bellwether

Mayor of Zootopia

Rudy smiled softly, folding the letter back up carefully. He'd have to get a corkboard to stick it to as a keepsake. It wasn't everyday that the mayor of your city personally contacted and welcomed you when you moved in.

He unpacked the rest of his belongings quickly. The pies were put in the fridge, his clothes folded on a rack by the wall, and his personal items decorated the desk. He set his laptop on the desk and set it up to the apartment building's internet connection. Once that was through, he stopped to munch on the last of the sliced carrots that his mom had packed for him for the train ride in.

This was the same apartment that his sister had lived in fifteen years ago. She had slept on this bed, walked these halls, sat at this desk. It was frightening, how it was all stacking up.

Judy's job, Judy's chief, Judy's uniform, Judy's apartment…

He wasn't Judy.

So why was he getting everything that used to be hers?

"This is too much," Rudy muttered, flopping back on the bed. "I'm not Judy. I'm Rudy."

"Of course you're not Judy! You're not playing music late at night on your first night in there!"

"Or talking to your parents about getting a job you didn't want!"

Rudy jumped, searching around. The wall behind him rattled. The neighbors?

"How did they hear me?" he wondered.

"Because the walls are paper thin here!" the first loud voice shouted.

"Don't bother complaining about noise!" the second replied just as loudly.

"Oh no," Rudy groaned.

Why did he have to have both loud neighbors and paper-thin apartment walls? This was a disaster. How did Judy deal with this?

"Hey, you're the new guy, right? Rudy Hobbs?"

"It's Hopps! His name is Hopps! Judy's brother!"

"Yeah, we saw you on the news! Sorry about your sister!"

"Don't say that! You'll make him feel bad! He's stuck in her apartment right by us, like she used to be!"

"Wait! You were her neighbors back then?" Rudy demanded.

"Yep! We didn't move out!"

"Why would we? We like it here! If you don't like it, you move out! Don't tell us to!"

"Don't tell him to move out! He just got here, you jerk!"

"Oh, I'm the jerk? Who ate the last of the egg and cricket salad yesterday?"

"You said you didn't want it!"

"I was lying!"

"Then say you wanted it! Don't lie!"

"Hey, hey!" Rudy shouted, banging the wall. "You knew my sister?"

"She was a good neighbor! Not really loud!"

"That's 'cause that's our job! She never complained!"

"She didn't need to! I did it for her!"

"You didn't need to! Complaining is good for you! That's why we do it!"

"Why would you complain? Is this about the toilet again?"

"Don't even get me started on that, you clogger!"

"I did not clog it! That was you!"

The duo kept shouting back and forth between each other for several minutes. Rudy sighed before sliding down the wall. This was going to be a fun lease to live out. Maybe hunting for a different apartment was a good idea.


	3. Chapter 2: Pursuit

Got this done about two weeks ago and meant to post it earlier, but I got swamped with final papers and work and a trip to a convention that 'd been waiting all school year to attend. I forced myself to edit this at last this morning and post it.

Chapter 2: Pursuit

It was almost midnight when Rudy finally managed to learn his noisy neighbors' names and get them to remember his own. They were Bucky and Pronk Orynx-Antlerson and they'd been in their apartment for over fifteen years. They had no intention of moving anytime soon. They also had no intentions of quieting down or being polite anytime soon either.

It was enough to drive a rabbit mad.

Due to their shouting, he sent his parents a text rather than video calling them.

 **Made it to Zootopia safely. Got badged. Job starts tomorrow. Got noisy neighbors so no video call tonight. Sorry. Will call tomorrow, promise. XOXO**

Their shouting eventually died around two in the morning, much to Rudy's despair. He needed to get up in two hours to get to work at six, as per Chief Bogo's orders.

So much for getting enough sleep. With those neighbors, sleep may as well have been impossible for the new police officer.

.o.o.o.o.

"Didn't I tell you to get some sleep?"

"I tried. Neighbors were noisy," Rudy muttered, resting his chin on the table edge.

His fellow officers had watched him as he came into the bullpen, crawling onto a chair and standing there. If he sat, he couldn't see Chief Bogo at all. That just made him more tired. He wanted to sleep so badly. Maybe a nap later today would work, if he had the time.

A sharp cough from Bogo roused the bunny.

"Sorry…" Rudy mumbled automatically.

"Everyone, as you should already know, we have a new recruit in our ranks. This is Rudy Hopps, sent to us by special recommendation from Mayor Bellwether," Bogo introduced.

Claps and whistles greeted the tired bunny. Rudy forced himself to stand up straight, wipe the sleepy look off his face, and smile.

He looked around at his fellow officers. Elephants, rhinos, deer, antelope—all prey species, most of them large in size. Rudy was the smallest mammal in the room. The only thing close to his size was a pair of large hares, both towering over him with their erect ears and long legs.

Funny, he almost expected to see wolves in their ranks. There wasn't a single predator in the room.

 _I guess that's because of the savage attacks,_ Rudy decided, turning back to the front to face Bogo. _Nobody wants a police officer that could go savage at any moment._

"Now then, I regret to inform everyone that the Little Rodentia division will not be joining us today. Seven of their best lost their lives in the savage caracal attack on Monday and the unit is still recovering. They give their condolences for their absence today and send their best wishes to Officer Hopps in joining the ZPD. They look forward to meeting you in the near future."

All of the mammals in the room bowed their heads, paws and hooves over their hearts. Rudy mimicked the gesture, shocked back to wakefulness. He'd heard that the savage attacks were killing civilians…but officers too?

Then he recalled what the reporters yesterday had asked about—if he would be safe on the streets after what happened to his sister.

"Now then, back to business," Bogo stated, ending the silence. "As per the new protocol, no officer is allowed to patrol alone. We have a lot to do today and new orders are being sent in regularly. Keep your radios on and prepare yourselves if a call is sent to you regarding a savage."

Bogo began listing pairs and even trios of officers, assigning them different tasks throughout the city. Rudy rested his head on the table, ears pricked for his name to be called. The floor shook as elephants and rhinos passed by to receive their reports and head out of the room.

"Officer Hopps, I'm sending you to patrol through Savanna Central with Officers Lopez and Sandalwood. Stay with them and keep your radios on," Bogo ordered.

Both hares, the only remaining mammals in the room, jumped from their chairs and approached Rudy. He slipped out of his own chair and was instantly aware of how small he was in comparison to them. They stood almost twice his size with their ears erect.

"I'm Lopez and this is my partner, Sandalwood," the taller one, male with sandy brown fur, introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Hopps. We've heard so much about your sister," Sandalwood, female with fur lighter than her partner's, said with a smile. "She was the one who inspired us to be cops, you know."

"Enough fawning," Bogo grunted, waving the report at them pointedly.

Lopez strode over and accepted the report. Sandalwood guided Rudy after him as the trio left the room. They headed downstairs to the front desk, manned by a gorgeous-looking deer.

"Oh! You must be Hopps! So good to meet you!" she gushed, leaning over the desk to better see him. "I'm Sheila. I can answer anything you need to know about the department and such. If I don't know it, then my coworkers down in the records will know. What can I do for you?"

"Just collecting the last of our gear before we go," Lopez stated.

"Patrol?" Sheila guessed.

"Better than parking duty," Sandalwood snickered.

Sheila dug behind the desk before lifting a small box into view. She handed it over to Lopez, who turned on his heel and walked away. Sandalwood waved goodbye to Sheila before hurrying Rudy along out the front doors.

The sun was high in the sky, threatening to blind the bunny if he didn't shade his vision quickly enough. Savanna Central was bustling with life of all kind, predator and prey alike. Rudy didn't get to look around much before he was ushered into a car. He climbed into the back while Sandalwood hopped into the passenger's side, leaving Lopez to drive. Lopez handed her the box and file before starting the car and pulling away from the curb.

"What's in the box?" Rudy asked.

"Emergency tools in case we get called in for a savage attack," Lopez replied.

"You know! Tasers, smoke grenades, tear gas," Sandalwood listed off. "There's even a—"

"We shouldn't need that stuff unless we get called and, since we have you, we shouldn't get called," Lopez interrupted, stopping at a red light. "This is just a routine patrol. We've got a few smalltime suspects to watch out for but, overall, this should be an easy day on us. Just drive around for a few hours, keep an eye out for suspicious folk, stop for lunch, go back to patrolling, and then go home. So settle in, Hopps. Your butt should be numb by the time this is over."

"Okay," Rudy nodded, moving close to the driver's side window. "…So…what else was in the box?"

"A gun," Lopez said.

"…Like a fake gun?"

"No, a real gun with real bullets," Lopez replied. "We're not supposed to use that unless everything else fails or—"

"Green light," Sandalwood chirped.

Lopez put his foot on the gas and drove again. "The gun is a last resort weapon, mainly used if we start to lose officers to the savage in question."

"The Rodentia force had to use theirs on Monday," Sandalwood explained, turning in her seat to see Rudy better. "It didn't kill the caracal—bullets were too small—but it did the job in keeping it down long enough to detain it."

Rudy noted the use of "it" in Sandalwood's speech. It was like the savages suddenly weren't people anymore. It made the bunny uncomfortable.

"Like I said, we shouldn't even need the box. Sandalwood, put it in the back and go through the file so we know who to keep an eye out for," Lopez instructed, flipping his blinker on so he could turn.

Sandalwood handed the box to Rudy, who dropped it on the floor behind Lopez's seat. He felt strange, touching it. This box had dangerous weaponry in it. It had a gun. He'd learned how to use a gun back in training. It was scary. He hadn't liked it at all.

He hoped Lopez was right, that they wouldn't need it today.

"Got a bunch of new faces, all low profile suspects," Sandalwood rattled off, flipping through the report. "Ooh! We got a repeat offender!"

"Let me guess," Lopez said, bored. "Weaselton?"

"Yep!" Sandalwood nodded.

She handed the report to Rudy so he could look. The report was open to a page describing a thief, a weasel named Duke Weaselton. He looked scruffy in the photo and wore a dirty white undershirt.

Flipping through the report yielded a list of smalltime suspects, all predators. At the back was a page that made Rudy shiver. It was a profile describing a mountain lion named Lester Kovacs. A bright red stamp was at the top, drawing all attention to it.

 **SAVAGE**

"Don't pay much mind to that last page, Hopps," Lopez said, peering into the rearview mirror at him. "If anyone sees him, they'll call McHorn or one of the senior officers to deal with him. We won't get called for any savages bigger than a lynx, trust me."

"Not unless it's an emergency," Sandalwood added.

"Again, it shouldn't happen," Lopez stressed firmly. "Just keep an eye out for everyone else in that report. I doubt we'll see anyone but Weaselton, but he's a regular so chasing him down will be a good break for our tails from all this driving."

Rudy nodded in confirmation, leaning back in his seat and flipping away from the page of the savage puma. Among the suspects were a badger, a wolverine, three ferrets, a pair of rats, and a tiger, in addition to Weaselton.

Not a single prey mammal was in the line-up.

.o.o.o.o.

The next three hours were spent on an endless loop around eastern Savanna Central. Lopez and Sandalwood swapped seats every half hour to avoid exhaustion. Rudy shifted sides of the car, peering out windows and trying to match suspect faces. So far, they hadn't seen a single mammal on their list.

The radio crackled to life. "This is Officer McHorn, reporting in. Got a savage sighted on the crossway between Gerbil and Kalope Drives. Suspect is one Lester Kovacs. Requesting back-up immediately. Over."

"See? Told you McHorn would find him," Lopez said with a smile. "Kovacs will be off the streets in less than an hour."

"Twenty bucks says less than half an hour!" Sandalwood declared. "…And I mean dollars, not deer or rabbits."

Lopez chuckled. "I was hoping you'd forget. Deal."

The two hares shook paws and carried on with their patrol.

Fifteen minutes later, McHorn called in declaring Kovacs' capture. Sandalwood cheered, nearly crashing into a light pole in her joy had Lopez not reached across and straightened the wheel out. They swapped seats after that and Lopez agreed to pay for lunch.

.o.o.o.o.

Lunch was a trio of salads from the nearest restaurant. Rudy indulged with the raisins, much to the hares' combined disgust. They stuck firmly to their carrots and lettuce.

"So, have you two been in the ZPD long?" Rudy dared to ask, scooping the last of the lettuce and raisins from his bowl.

"I've been with them for four years," Lopez said proudly.

"Almost two years for me," Sandalwood admitted sheepishly.

"You guys look like you get along," Rudy pointed out.

"Well, if you have to pick between your own kind and someone who weighs two hundred plus pounds more than you, I'll pick the former," Lopez said. "Bogo had no complaints about my choice when Sandalwood joined."

"Oh, come on! I thought we were going by first names when Bogo wasn't around," Sandalwood complained.

Lopez rolled his eyes. Sandalwood puffed her cheeks before turning in her seat to look at Rudy. She smiled widely, displaying long buck teeth.

"My name is Carrie Sandalwood. He's Mike Lopez," she giggled. "So, when Bogo isn't around, you can call me Carrie and him—"

"He can call me Lopez until I say otherwise, Sandalwood."

"Spoilsport!" Carrie Sandalwood whined.

"Thanks…Carrie," Rudy said shyly.

"No problem! We're all friends here, after all," Carrie chirped, turning to face forward in her seat again. "Ooh ooh! Lopez, I see Weaselton! On the corner there by Riverton Street!"

"Selling stolen goods, I bet," Lopez muttered, pulling the car to the curb nearby and killing the engine. "Let me and Sandalwood do the talking, Hopps. He has a habit of needling away at rookies."

"Got it," Rudy nodded.

The trio left the car and approached the table that Duke Weaselton had set up. It displayed movie cases and music disks. The weasel grinned when he heard them approaching, turning to greet them…and lost his smile when he saw their uniforms. His grin returned minutely when he spotted Rudy.

"Babysitting today? I thought you hated kids, Lopez," he teased.

"Not a kid," Rudy growled.

"More stolen goods?" Lopez asked, scanning over the disks and cases. "You know that you will be fined for all of this."

"Maybe even jailed," Carrie added, her voice sing-song-like.

"Hey, a guy's gotta make a living! Predators like me can barely get work nowadays thanks to Smellwether's new laws against us!" Weaselton complained, hands gesturing wildly.

"Not our problem," Lopez said firmly, pulling out his handcuffs. "Come quietly or—"

Weaselton ducked under the table, heaving upward to throw it at them. The goods on it spilled along the street, a few hitting the police officers. Then Weaselton was gone, hot-footing it down a nearby alleyway.

"This is Officer Sandalwood, calling in to report a pursuit in progress on Riverton Street. Suspect is one Duke Weaselton. Over," Carrie said into her radio.

Lopez leaped over the table and raced down the alley after the weasel. Rudy, unable to stay still, ran after him. Carrie yelped, calling him back but Rudy was long gone by then. She stayed at the scene of the crime, radio in paw, waiting for her partners to call in.

.o.o.o.o.

The alley was full of trash. Rudy had to jump over fallen trash cans—likely knocked over by Weaselton in an effort to slow Lopez down—and skip around broken glass to keep up. Lopez was far ahead, zipping around a corner, paw out to try and grab the weasel's tail. Rudy sped up, hoping to help in some way.

He made it around the corner and found it empty. There was no sign of the hare or the weasel. Rudy backed up, checking to see if he missed any other exits.

Nothing.

He looked around. Still no sign of them.

"Where'd they both go?"

.o.o.o.o.

Weaselton jumped over the edge, barely making it to the next roof over. He'd zipped up the gutter instantly when he'd turned the corner, aiming for the roof. Running along the ground forever would eventually let Lopez catch up.

So the weasel scaled the building and ran along the uneven roofs of the district instead.

Lopez struggled to keep his footing. Weaselton was notorious for this. He was also notorious for running to Little Rodentia to lose pursuers. If he had any hope of catching the weasel, it needed to be on these roofs right now. If Weaselton hit Little Rodentia, the hare would lose him. Lopez was too big to maneuver safely in Little Rodentia without hurting someone.

Claws catching on roofing tiles, the hare flung himself over the gap and spun, snatching Weaselton's paws in his own. With a sharp yank, Lopez swung the weasel up and over his head to crash onto the roof behind him. Weaselton groaned, stunned.

Lopez pulled out his handcuffs, snapping them over the weasel's wrists. "You are under arrest, Duke Weaselton…again. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be—"

"Used against me. I know! Stop with the spiel, I know my rights!" Weaselton barked.

"Fine," Lopez shrugged, dragging the weasel up by the scruff. "Tore off your collar too? That's a federal crime, you know. I hope you enjoy your overdue night in jail…again."

"I will," Weaselton grinned toothily. "So, babysitting? That's the Hopps boy, right? I'm betting thirty onions that he dies within a few days, just like his sister did."

"Officer Hopps is under the best protection imaginable, Weaselton. No savage is going to kill him, not while I'm here," Lopez said firmly.

"And here I thought you only liked that girlfriend of yours, Ms. Sandy-wood!"

"Sandalwood."

"Whatever!" The weasel cackled.

Lopez moved across roofs until he reached the corner of Riverton Street. Carrie was down below, having packed up all of Weaselton's stolen goods into a box that she was putting in the trunk of their car.

"Sandalwood!" Lopez called.

"I'm open!" Carrie declared, moving to the ground beneath and holding out her arms.

"Whoa, wait! You're gonna drop me? You can't do tha—AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Weaselton closed his eyes, curling up as Lopez dropped him over the side of the roof. Suddenly there was pressure—something had him! He cracked an eye open and met the gaze of a pair of brown eyes. Sandalwood had caught him bridal style.

"Hey, Dukey," she chirped.

"…Hi," Weaselton said shakily.

The weasel didn't fight or complain when Sandalwood stuck him in the back of their car (or "the backety back", as Carrie called it), safely behind the barred barricade meant to separate prisoner seats from the passenger seats. Carrie closed the door and locked it before turning. Lopez jumped from the roof, long legs absorbing the shock of the drop. He still stumbled upon straightening and Carrie was right there under his arm to support the older hare.

"That's one caught," Carrie chirped, helping him back to the car.

"Probably the only one too," Lopez admitted. "You and Hopps did good, gathering the evidence."

"…He isn't with me."

Lopez stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

"He isn't with me," Carrie repeated, confused. "Hopps went after you. Didn't you hear me yell?"

"…No, I didn't," Lopez admitted, peering into the back of the car where he could've sworn the rookie was. It was empty. "…He didn't go on the roof with me."

"Maybe he's still in the alley, waiting for you," Carrie suggested.

Lopez opened the back passenger door, grabbing the box behind his seat. Opening it, he grabbed the smooth black handle of the gun. He loaded it.

"Mike?" Carrie said softly.

"Let's go find our rookie," Lopez said, holstering the gun to his hip and handing her the ammo box.

.o.o.o.o.

"Lopez? Mr. Weaselton? Where are you?"

Rudy moved through the alley. It was long and dark and labyrinthine in its layout. There was still no sign of the hare officer or the weasel he'd been chasing. They had to be there somewhere, though.

Right?

Light up ahead made him pick up the pace. He came out in another street, this one more rundown and trashed than Riverton Street had looked. The pristine and clean sidewalk that he was used to was covered in grime and trash. Loose paper blew in the wind like tumbleweeds. Most of the trees were gnarled and leafless, maybe even dead. He could see at least thirty health code violations in place there.

A twisted street sign finally gave him a location—Benedict Street. That was a long ways from Riverton Street. Was the alley really that long? It sure had a lot of curves to it.

He moved careful down the street. He didn't want to go back into the alleyway in case Mr. Weaselton was waiting to pounce on him in there. The weasel hadn't looked at him kindly, after all. And the press seemed to be acting as if he was in danger just being in Zootopia. Was it really that bad there now?

Or was it just him in particular, because of his connections to Judy?

Rudy kept walking, dodging around rusted metal and broken glass and dirty puddles of water that grew in the sidewalk cracks. The few animals he saw certainly didn't have the same happy, content vibe that the mammals on Riverton Street did. It was more of a desolate, isolated sadness. It made him shiver, as if it was chilling his bones just to be there.

 _I'll just find the nearest exit and make my way to Riverton Street again. It can't be that hard,_ Rudy decided.

A sudden loud noise made the rabbit jump. It was like somebody had shot a gun. Rudy wanted to run and hide. Who was shooting out here? Lopez? Another officer? Was there a savage nearby?

The noise came again, getting closer and closer. A van swung around the corner, coming down the street. It shuddered, its muffler belching smoke before the noise came again.

Rudy relaxed. It was just a car. No gun at all. He felt silly now.

The van stopped right by him and Rudy wanted to run all over again. One tire was up on the curb from the swing the driver had made before stopping. The window rolled down.

It was the weirdest animal Rudy had ever seen. It looked like a fox but it had the biggest ears possible. Its fur was sand-colored, not the bright red that Rudy was used to seeing. When the door opened and it jumped out, the rabbit was struck by how tiny the fox was. It was no bigger than him!

The sunglasses on the fox's face were lowered. "You Hopps?"

The voice was really deep, another striking thing about this tiny fox.

Rudy stumbled back, pawing at the fox repellent at his hip. His parents insisted on sending a box of the stuff with him, especially in light of Judy's death.

After all, it had been a fox that killed her.

"I wouldn't use that. Kind of a rude way to say hi to somebody," the fox said, eyeing the repellant in Rudy's paws warily. "Besides, can't hurt you with this thing in place."

The fox yanked on a thick black collar wrapped around his neck, almost hidden under the flared collar of his dark-colored shirt. A shock collar, one that all predators now needed to wear for regulation in accordance with the laws Bellwether put in place. The sight of it should've made Rudy feel so much safer.

It didn't. Not at all.

"What do you want?" The words came out so fast that it sounded like one big word to Rudy's ears.

"I just wanted to talk," the fox replied, tiny paws up to show he was no threat. "You're Hopps, right? You're not one of those hares, so you must be Hopps."

"What about it?"

"I knew your sister. I wanted to say hi to you."

Rudy paused. This fox knew Judy? That wasn't right. Judy would never befriend a fox.

But…then again…the fox that killed Judy…had been the one that helped her arrest Mayor Lionheart…at the start of the savage attacks…

He lowered the repellant but kept it in his paws. "You knew Judy?"

"I was pals with Nick, the guy who…killed…her." The tiny fox looked uncomfortable, saying that. "I only met her a few times, but she seemed like a cool gal. I just wanted to meet you. Rudy, right?"

"Yeah," Rudy nodded.

"I'm Finnick." The fox held out a paw. "Hey, I gotta get somewhere but I'd love to keep chattin' with you. Are you busy?"

"Well…" Rudy sighed. "I'm actually kind of lost."

"First day on the job?" Finnick guessed.

"I came from Riverton Street and lost my coworker on the way. We were chasing a weasel. I kept going along the alley and…ended up here," Rudy explained.

"Alley? …Oh, I get it! You took that windin' alley from Riverton to here. Yeah, that was your mistake," Finnick chuckled. "You're lucky you didn't get jumped. I've known wolves to wait around in there."

"What?!" Rudy bristled.

"It's okay. They probably left for lunch. You got lucky." Finnick climbed into his van. "Hey, jump in. I'll get you back to Riverton if you keep chattin' with me."

"…Okay."

Rudy climbed in, returning the repellant to his hip. The van was big and stunk of fox. Rudy's nose wrinkled but he made no comment about it. Finnick started the car and they went down the street, spinning around in a cul-de-sac and coming back along the road that Finnick came in on.

"So, you knew the guy who killed Judy," Rudy started.

"Yeah," Finnick nodded. "His name is Nick Wilde and we were…business partners. Don't ask anymore on that, 'kay? Anyway, I was 'round when Nick and your sis first met. The last time I saw her, she was lookin' for Nick after she resigned from ZPD. Said somethin' 'bout finding a new lead on the savage case."

"Did she tell you what it was?"

"Nope," Finnick shook his head, ears flopping slightly. "She just needed to find Nick. So I told her and she took off. The next thing I hear, she's dead and Nick's savage. Which makes no sense to me."

"What?"

"Nick goin' savage. I mean, how does that happen? Nick was the most sane and logical guy I knew," Finnick explained. "He's the last guy I'd think would go savage."

"Well, nobody knows how one goes savage, right?" Rudy pointed out.

"Your sister said somethin' about old biological links in predators," Finnick recalled. "I can get that. We did used to kill you guys, way back then, but now we don't. We all eat bugs and stuff. I just don't get it. I'd think I'd go savage before he did. Nick's a fighter…or was…"

"…I'm sorry," Rudy muttered.

"Nah, it's cool. It probably would've happened eventually," Finnick shrugged, drumming his fingers on the wheel. "…So, you came to be a cop, just like her?"

"Yeah," Rudy nodded, embarrassed. "I think I'm doing a bad job, though."

"You're new to Zootopia. Nobody can blame you for getting' lost," Finnick argued. "If you haven't gotten lost in Zootopia at least once, there's somethin' seriously wrong with you. And since you got lost, you're just fine in my book."

"…Thanks." Rudy didn't feel as bad now. "…Oh, here we are! Riverton Street!"

Finnick pulled over nearby. He looked at Rudy. "Look, Rudy, I… Can I get your number? It's been nice talkin' to you and…well, I don't have a lot of people to talk to. Losin' Nick was hard, you know? It might sound weird but…well, your sis was close to him…and now that they're both gone, you're kinda…the closest thing left to them…so…"

"…Sure," Rudy nodded, pulling out his phone.

They traded numbers before the fox let him go, waving goodbye. Rudy made a mental note to ask Finnick about the weird designs and pictures on his van one day. The van soon pulled away, vanishing down the street at a speed that was probably over the limit.

Rudy didn't think he could ticket the tiny fox, anyways.

The bunny moved down the streets, far neater and cleaner than Benedict Street had been. It was frightening to see the differences between the two. He decided to bring it up with Lopez and Carrie when he found them.

.o.o.o.o.

"I'm gonna throttle that kid when we find him, Carrie!"

"Mike, calm down," Carrier said softly.

"Why did he wander off? I had Weaselton on my own!" Lopez shouted, gripping the wheel tighter.

"Mike, maybe I should drive?"

Lopez ignored her, stepping on the gas when the light turned green and almost rear ending the vehicle in front of him. "Why didn't he stay behind with you? Did his sister's death teach him nothing about what happens when you go off on your own?"

"Protocol was different then, Mike. It wasn't as strict about partners as it is now," Carrie pointed out, slamming a foot on the emergency break to avoid running a red light.

Lopez fell back against his seat and howled, paws on his face. Putting the car in park, Carrie grasped him by the shoulder and pulled him into the passenger seat before taking over the wheel. She switched it back to drive just as the light turned green.

An illegal procedure but she did it anyways to save them both from a car accident just waiting to happen.

"We'll find him. Everybody else has been alerted. We've got at least fifty mammals looking for him, Mike," Carrie reassured, freeing a paw to squeeze her partner's knee. "Everything will be fine."

"You're so optimistic," Mike muttered sourly.

"It balances out your pessimism, especially in times like these," Carrie replied.

The radio crackled, making Lopez jump. "This is Officer Bangsburn, reporting in. I have visual on Officer Hopps. He is on the north end of Riverton Street. Picking him up now to take him back to the station. Mission success, people. Over."

"There! See? Found him!" Carrie chirped excitedly, tuning a corner to return to ZPD.

"Good," Lopez grumbled darkly, glaring at the floor. "Good…"

.o.o.o.o.

Lopez flung the door to the bullpen open. "Where were you?!" he shouted.

Every other ZPD officer turned to face Lopez, Chief Bogo included. Standing at the center of this congregation was Rudy Hopps, looking unruffled and unhurt. Carrie cried, running over to hug him. Lopez stomped after her, nose twitching erratically, eyes narrowed, teeth bared angrily.

"Where. Were. You?" he asked slowly, each word punctuated with a growl.

"He took the alley to Benedict after you went roof running," McHorn, a black rhino officer, replied.

"Why didn't you stay with Carrie?" Lopez asked coldly.

"I thought you needed help," Rudy replied, cowering under the hare's glare. "I didn't know."

"Mike, it's fine. He's not hurt. He's back, safe and sound," Carrie said firmly, ears stiffened as she looked sternly at her partner.

Lopez spun to face Chief Bogo. "I demand he's punished for insubordination, sir."

"Already done," Chief Bogo replied. "I just got through sentencing him to a week of cleaning records with Sheila and Clawhauser."

Lopez's whiskers twitched before he nodded. "That sounds excellent. I approve."

"That's what he's getting. Your approval is unnecessary," the cape buffalo said pointedly. "Now that this fiasco is over, go home, all of you! Nocturnal unit will take over from here. Get some shut-eye. I mean it, Hopps."

"…Will do, sir," Rudy promised.

Officers filed from the room until only Lopez, Carrie, and Rudy were left. Rudy cowered against Carrie, unable to meet Lopez's gaze. The hare smirked triumphantly until he looked at his partner. Carrie glared at him before leaving the room, an arm looped around Rudy's shoulders. Lopez hesitated before following them out, trailing a few feet behind them.

"You're lucky you got that ride back. Benedict is a nasty place to end up on your own," Carrie said.

"Why is Benedict Street so bad compared to Riverton Street?" Rudy asked.

"Benedict is…a predator-only street. We don't patrol it as much due to the protests from the locals. None of them are too keen to clean up their own mess either," Carrie explained with a forced chuckle.

"Oh…" Rudy looked away. They reached the front desk and separated. "…Thanks. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"It's okay. You came back safe," Carrie reassured, hugging him. "Just…next time…don't chase Lopez. Stick with me. Okay?"

"Okay," Rudy nodded, hugging her back.

They parted ways, Carrie waving as Rudy headed out the door. She turned to Lopez, gaze icy. The taller hare flinched. Carrie turned away.

"See you tomorrow, Mike," she said curtly.

She left to go fetch her belongings. Lopez sighed before recalling something. He called Sheila to get her attention.

"Did you need something?" the deer asked.

"Yeah, I…uh…forgot to put this back in the box when I returned it to you," Lopez admitted.

He put the loaded gun on the table and walked away.

.o.o.o.o.

"Oh my goodness, honey! Are you sure you're okay?"

The frantic sounds of his siblings carried through the video call. Rudy smiled slightly, glad to hear it again. It beat all the noise that his neighbors made.

"I'm fine, mom. It was just a mistake on my part. It won't happen again," Rudy reassured, smiling at his parents, who took up most of the screen.

"Good! Oh sweetie, what if you got hurt? A predator-only street!" Bonnie cried.

"I'm fine. Not all predators are bad, mom," Rudy said firmly. "I…met someone…who knew Judy."

"You did?" Stu asked, face taking up the whole screen now. "Who? Do we know them?"

"No, you wouldn't. He's just this…guy…I met on Benedict Street. He got me back safely."

Rudy decided telling his parents that Finnick was a fox—even if he was a tiny fox—wasn't a good idea. So much for his promise of not lying, of telling the truth every time. But this was necessary. No need to pointlessly worry his parents.

"He and I are going to keep in touch from now on. Maybe we can help each other out," Rudy continued. "We both lost someone close to us the day Judy died."

"Oh, honey, that's excellent!" Bonnie cried, smiling happily. "I knew you'd make fast friends there!"

"Just be careful, especially of foxes. The Greys here are okay, but Zootopian foxes could go savage," Stu warned, pulling back from the screen. "You've got your fox repellant, right?"

"I always keep a can on me, dad. Relax," Rudy reassured, picking up his uniform to display the can hooked to his belt.

"That's a good boy!" Stu congratulated. "Well, we'll let you get some sleep now. Order some pizza and relax, but don't stay up too late."

"I know," Rudy said. "Bye, guys."

"BYE, RUDY!" his five hundred plus siblings crowed behind his parents, making them both flinch.

"Bye, honey!" Bonnie said.

"Be good. Good luck. Stay safe. Watch out for foxes," Stu ordered.

"I will, dad. Good night."

He ended the call and sighed, slumping onto the bed. Pronk and Bucky instantly got to yelling, a good amount of it involving Rudy. The rabbit ignored them, picking up his phone to call a pizza place that Officer Bangsburn had told him was really good. He wasn't up for a Hungry Bunny dinner-for-one tonight.

The pizza, topped with broccoli and mushroom, came in record time. He paid the delivery zebra and dug in when he reached his bed. He stuck the DVD that Mayor Bellwether sent him of the Judy Hopps commemoration parade in his laptop and watched it.

It was spectacular. Here were so many people present in it, on the floats and crowding the sidewalks. Rudy regretted not being able to see it himself. Maybe next year. To think that Judy made such an impact on Zootopia in a few days…

 _"_ _Your sister said somethin' about old biological links in predators. I can get that. We did used to kill you guys, way back then, but now we don't. We all eat bugs and stuff. I just don't get it. I'd think I'd go savage before he did. Nick's a fighter…or was…"_

Rudy snapped out of the memory, watching the parade DVD end. He shut his laptop and sighed.

"Nick Wilde… That's the guy who killed my sister…"

He jolted, digging through the desk until he found what he wanted—the letter that came with the DVD. He scanned it until he found what he wanted.

If you ever need anything, you can reach me at the number below. I'll always answer and help you as best I can.

His eyes scanned over the phone number at the bottom of the letter.

 _"_ _Like the other predators, he'd gone savage and showed no signs of recovering anytime soon, so he was locked up in Cliffside with the rest until further notice. Last I checked, he was still there under Bellwether's orders."_

"…Yeah," Rudy nodded. "That's what I'll do. I'm going to go see this Nick Wilde character tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 3: Wilde-ly Savage

Sorry for the long delay. The last half of this chapter gave me so much trouble. Add in school ending, summer work starting, and spring cleaning, and I found myself drained for time. But I'm trying to claw together some so I can update my stuff.

I already have plot junk planned for next chapter, so maybe that'll give me more to work with in terms of a quicker update. We'll see.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Wilde-ly Savage

"Is that a good idea, Rudy?"

Rudy sat in a comfortable leather chair in the mayor's office. A huge window behind Bellwether's desk showed off Savanna Central in all its beauty. The sheep looked so tiny compared to the room and desk. It was mindboggling to Rudy that somebody would need this much space.

Then again, the last owner of this room had been a lion.

"I feel that if I'm going to come to terms with what happened to my sister, I need to face the problem head-on," Rudy explained. "It's not like I'm asking to go in the room with him. I just…want to see him."

"To put a face to your problem," Bellwether guessed, wringing her hooves. "Well…if you think it'll help you, I'll allow for it."

"Thank you so—"

"But!" Bellwether lifted a hoof. "I need to go with. In case you panic or something, I can help you."

"I'm fine with that," Rudy nodded.

"Okay then, how about after your shift today? I wouldn't want to pull you off-duty," Bellwether suggested.

"Sure," Rudy nodded.

"Then I'll inform Cliffside that we'll be having a guest to see Mr. Wilde," Bellwether decided, the wool on her head bobbing as she nodded. "I really do hope this helps you, Rudy. It was such a tragic event…"

"I know. I'm sorry you had to see it happen," Rudy apologized, slipping down from the chair.

"Six o' clock, Rudy! I'll meet you at the precinct and have Manny chauffer us over there!" Bellwether declared.

"Got it," Rudy nodded, heading for the office doors. "Thank you so much for understanding, mayor."

"Of course! I aim to help, especially anyone related to Judy," Bellwether explained, smiling sweetly. "See you at six."

Rudy agreed and left the office. Bellwether's smile turned malicious. Claude's ear twitched as the coati approached.

"Contact Doug," she ordered, picking up her teacup. "Make sure that Nick Wilde is as savage as possible at six o' clock tonight. He'll have a very important visitor."

"Of course, ma'am."

.o.o.o.o.

"Okay, records are downstairs. Please follow me and stay close," Sheila instructed.

The deer left the front desk, replaced by her porcupine coworker Steven, and led Rudy to a set of stairs descending into the basement levels of the police department. Due to the events of yesterday, Rudy was sentenced to record cleaning duty with one Clawhauser…whoever that was. Sheila certainly knew him, as did Bogo.

"Stay close, okay? Some of my coworkers down here are…rather frightening to prey animals," Sheila admitted.

"Frightening?" Rudy repeated, confused.

"Clawhauser may look scary but trust me, he's sweet for his species."

 _What is he? A bear or something?_ Rudy wondered, suddenly on edge. _Would they really employ a predator down here?_

They reached the bottom of the stairs to find a labyrinth of file cabinets and wire-link fences. Rudy followed Sheila and the string of rope lights stuck to the ceiling, providing dim lighting to an already spooky place. Papers rustled and cabinets clanged as they were opened and closed. Large shadows drifted in and out of view behind the fences.

Why did a basement need fences, anyway? Rudy didn't get it.

Sheila paused midway down a straight stretch of fencing, facing a padlocked door. The deer produced a key and unlocked the gate, allowing it to swing open. She stepped into the wide space, filled with tall stacks of files and forms and folders. There was a large desk shoved against the fence. Sheila tapped her hoof on it.

"Clawhauser! It's me, Sheila!"

Rudy froze, feeling dozens of eyes on him suddenly. The shadows in nearby fenced-in cubicles suddenly seemed menacing. What were they? Rudy felt himself curl inward, cowering. A familiar stench hit him amidst dust and old paper and ink.

Predator.

The paper stacks suddenly shifted before them. Rudy froze instantly, eyes wide, short gray fur standing on end. A gigantic frame, wider and taller than him by a mile, emerged from the dark. A dark blue uniform covered its bulk but did nothing to hide the golden fur or the dark spots, the chubby feline face and long tail.

A cheetah. A very big cheetah.

Sheila smiled welcomingly, nudging Rudy forward with a delicate leg. Rudy wanted to run. This Clawhauser guy was huge! He could crush the bunny if he sat on him! Was Sheila crazy?!

"Clawhauser," Sheila said gently, smiling softly, but there was caution swimming in the depths of her large brown eyes. "This is Rudy. He'll be helping us with records for the next week."

The cat shifted as best he could, unable to bend over due to the girth of his immense belly. He smiled, sharp teeth shining in the dim light.

There was red on his teeth!

Rudy jolted with a sharp gasp. Sheila jolted, moving to comfort the bunny. Clawhauser's ears fell back, smile dropping as he moved back into the dark, arm raised to scrub at his mouth.

"Oops! I thought I got all the jelly off! I'm so sorry, little guy! I'm good, I promise!"

The voice that came from the cheetah wasn't the low, rumbling roar that Rudy expected. It was kind, bouncy, higher than he expected in pitch. It sounded so friendly, yet so sad now.

"I should've warned you, Rudy," Sheila apologized, stroking Rudy's ears and back to soothe him. "Clawhauser is a big fan of donuts, so seeing food coloring on his teeth is normal."

"…Oh."

Rudy instantly felt bad. He had jumped to the worst conclusion imaginable. He didn't even know this guy and seeing red instantly made Rudy believe him to be dangerous. Looking at Clawhauser now, cowering in the dark, green eyes so sad, made Rudy want to kick himself.

"Sorry," Clawhauser mumbled again. "I wasn't trying to scare you, honest."

"It's okay, Clawhauser. He gets it now," Sheila reassured.

Rudy peeled himself away from Sheila, embarrassed and ashamed. "Sorry," he apologized, trying not to tremble.

"It's okay. I was in the wrong, not yo—"

"You didn't do anything wrong! I did!" Rudy argued.

Clawhauser froze, eyes wide. A smile wobbled onto his muzzle. "Thanks, little buddy."

Rudy forced a smile. "No problem."

"Rudy, I have to help Fangmeyer with some documents. I'll be around the bend. There's a radio on Clawhauser's desk. Use it if you need me, okay?" Sheila instructed.

"Okay," Rudy nodded.

"We'll be good, Sheila," Clawhauser promised.

Sheila exited the cubicle, closing the gate behind her. It was when she locked the padlock again that Rudy bristled, dread and fear swamping him again.

He was all alone with a predator. Finnick was one thing. He was a tiny fox. Clawhauser was a huge cheetah.

Clawhauser turned back to the piles behind him, wringing his wide paws. "Um… So, I'm Benjamin. Benjamin Clawhauser, though you can call me Ben or Benny if you like."

"…I'm Rudy. Rudy Hopps."

"Hopps?" Clawhauser turned back to him faster than someone his size had the right to, making the rabbit jump in fright. "Hopps, as in…Judy Hopps? You're her brother? The one Bogo told me about?"

Each question was punctuated with a squeak and a smile, stars in his eyes suddenly. It unnerved Rudy. He nodded quickly. The squeal Clawhauser gave made Rudy jolt, ears falling back, ringing.

"Oh em goodness! It's really you!" Clawhauser cheered, rushing to the fences. "Hey, guys! Judy's brother's here!"

Rudy gasped when loud cheers and howls erupted from the whole basement. Everyone down there, in each fenced cubicle, was a predator. It was overwhelming. Was this where all the predator officers had been sent after Judy died, when Mayor Bellwether stressed the concern of having predators for police?

The noise quickly died, Sheila's voice calling for silence and work. Grumbles and growls sounded before silence returned. Clawhauser smiled widely, paws on chubby cheeks, practically glowing as he looked at Rudy.

"Oh, you're so cute! Oh, oops! I forgot, bunnies don't like being called cute by non-bunnies. Sorry!"

"No, it's okay," Rudy reassured. "Um… So, you knew my sister?"

"Yeah! She was great, if a bit too stubborn and headstrong. But that's bunnies for you, no offense." Clawhauser sat in his desk chair, a threadbare thing that creaked under his weight. He pulled a stool from under the desk, gesturing Rudy to take a seat. The bunny hopped on it and sat, feeling less intimidated now that he was on more level ground with the cheetah. "She had something to prove, being the first bunny officer and all."

"Yeah," Rudy nodded.

Clawhauser grabbed a stack of papers, flipping through them, but it was obvious that he wasn't paying any attention to them. "I'm really sorry about what happened to Judy. She was a great kid, really."

"I know," Rudy smiled softly, flipping through a small stack of papers on the desk. "She really wanted to be a cop. I guess she rubbed off on me because here I am, doing the same thing."

"Same thing? Hardly!" Clawhauser snorted, dropping the papers in his lap. "I don't see you being a meter maid. Or running all around the city on a missing mammals case. Or…dying…"

"…Yeah, I guess not," Rudy admitted.

"…Um… So, how's the weather up there? Being stuck down here all day doesn't really let me appreciate the weather," Clawhauser said, changing the topic.

Rudy was grateful for it. He smiled. "Well, the weatherman says it's supposed to be really hot today. At least ninety Fahrenheit."

"Then be glad you're down here with us. I pity whoever is on patrol today," Clawhauser chuckled.

Rudy smirked, imagining Lopez sweating in his squad car, miserable in the heat. It was a triumphant image for the bunny.

"So, what all do you do down here? File papers and stuff?" Rudy asked.

"File documents, do signatures, organize old case files and such. All the boring paperwork stuff I used to do, just on a giant scale," Clawhauser shrugged.

"Oh. Sounds boring."

"It is if you do it day after day, like we all do," Clawhauser nodded.

"That sucks," Rudy muttered, turning his attention to the pages in his paws.

 **EMMET OTTERTON, MISSING MAMMALS CASE**

Rudy paused. Emmet Otterton. Missing mammals case. Was this part of the case that Judy solved?

He flipped through more pages. There were fourteen in all. Names and faces, all predators, met his gaze. Each one was tagged with **MISSING MAMMALS CASE** in bold black at the top of the page.

"Whatcha looking at?" Clawhauser asked, peering over Rudy's ears. "Oh, that! Yeah, I haven't hit that yet. Kinda makes me sad to look at it…"

"Why?" Rudy asked. "It was Judy's first big case."

"Her first and last," Clawhauser corrected, slumping back in his chair. "She died afterward. What I want to know is…why?"

"Why what?"

"Well, she left Zootopia and went home, right? So why did she come back?" Clawhauser wondered.

"I don't know," Rudy shrugged. "Mom and dad said she had unfinished business here. Maybe with the guy who killed her, the fox."

"Nick Wilde," Clawhauser muttered. "Maybe…"

"Now that makes me curious," Rudy admitted. "What did she want with him?" _I'll have to ask when I get to Cliffside tonight._

"Whatever it was, we all know how it ended. He went savage and killed her," Clawhauser muttered, sighing sadly. "Makes a guy wonder…how do you go savage?"

"Ancient biological links?"

"But why are they resurfacing now? I can't figure it out," Clawhauser complained. "We suppressed those urges and NOW they resurface? Can't we repress them again?"

"I don't know," Rudy shrugged, closing the missing mammals case file. _How could I know? I'm not a predator…_

Clawhauser sighed, a paw on his face. "This is so depressing to talk about."

"I bet," Rudy admitted, feeling guilty. "…So, you like donuts?"

Clawhauser smiled.

.o.o.o.o.

"So, did you like it down there? I'm sorry if Clawhauser was overwhelming," Sheila apologized, leading Rudy back upstairs hours later. "When he gets talking about donuts and Gazelle, he just doesn't stop. I heard him from Fangmeyer's cubicle."

"No, it was fine. Clawhauser is pretty cool," Rudy replied, smiling.

"I knew you'd like him. If only we didn't have to worry about his savage potential…"

"…Can all predators go savage?" Rudy asked.

"Well, from what Bellwether believes and what your sister theorized, we can only assume yes," Sheila nodded. "It may seem cruel to Clawhauser and the others…but it's safer for the rest of us."

 _"_ _Being stuck down here all day doesn't really let me appreciate the weather."_

 _Cruel might be an understatement,_ Rudy thought. To not be able to see the sun each day had to be horrible on someone used to seeing it every day.

It hurt, trumping their comfort with his own safety. It made sense…but that didn't make it any less cruel, in his mind.

What would Judy have thought of all this?

"Hey, Sheila!" Steven called once they reached the front desk. "Mr. Hopps has a ride waiting for him out front from the mayor."

Rudy jolted. He'd forgotten about visiting Nick in all the talk with Clawhauser about mundane, everyday stuff. Quickly thanking Sheila and Steven, the rabbit turned and darted from the precinct. Outside was a black car with tinted windows. The door opened to reveal Mayor Bellwether.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything. I thought I'd come a little early," she admitted.

"No, you're right on time! I just finished doing paperwork downstairs," Rudy explained.

"Paperwork? Downstairs? You? Oh, no no no! I told them no to that, to keep you away from them!" Bellwether complained.

"…You mean the predators?" Rudy guessed.

"Yes!" the sheep confirmed, groaning, hooves on her face. "I told them to keep you on active duty. All of Zootopia is looking to you as our new hope for change here! How can you do any of that if you're down in a basement full of predators?"

"Wait! I'm…new hope?" Rudy asked, shocked.

New hope…

Judy had wanted that. As the first rabbit officer, she had been representing all small prey mammals when she got her position. She'd been hope incarnate that prey could be just as effective in society as predators, could be just as strong a driving force.

…And then she died…

A hoof on his shoulder derailed that train of thought. "Rudy, your sister brought hope for mammals like me when she came here. Now you're doing the same thing, carrying on the Hopps name."

 _But I'm just continuing Judy's work, not starting my own,_ Rudy thought bitterly. He didn't want to be an extension of Judy. He was here to prove himself, not add onto her!

The car started up and moved forward smoothly. Peering up, Rudy saw the red and black fur of the maned wolf named Manny. The predator didn't look back at them…but Rudy noted quickly that there was no collar around his neck. His fur lay bare and untouched by the protective device.

 _"_ _Maned wolves generally aren't looked upon kindly based on their appearances. A lot of protestors are making a big stink about him."_

That had to be why. The maned wolf wore no collar. The mayor wasn't conforming totally to the law she created.

Why?

"So," Mayor Bellwether's voice tore the bunny from his thoughts. "Anything in particular that you want to ask Mr. Wilde, Rudy?"

"Well…" Rudy shifted, wringing his hands nervously. "Mostly…why my sister came back here."

"Huh?"

"My sister left the ZPD after the missing mammals case was solved. She was at home with us for a while. So why did she come back here again?"

"Hmm… That _is_ curious," Bellweather admitted. "I didn't think on that before. Why _did_ she come back?"

"If she wasn't done here…then why did she leave at all?"

"Your sister left because of what happened after the case was solved. Her theory about biological links being the source of predators going savage…created a backlash effect with predators in the city. There were protests and riots. I…guess I and Chief Bogo were pressuring her too much to back me as mayor, to keep hope for prey alive in the city. It was…overwhelming. So she turned in her badge and left."

"She quit? By choice?" Rudy asked, shocked.

"Yes," Bellwether nodded. "She went home after that and I never heard from her again. At least, not until the museum…where I saw her being…"

Bellwether sniffled, pulling out a handkerchief to rub her eyes.

"Sorry. I get teary, remembering that. She fought so hard to bring him to his senses…for nothing…"

"I'm sorry. I won't ask again. Don't cry," Rudy pleaded.

"No, it's… It's okay…" Bellwether wiped away tears and tucked her handkerchief away, straightening until she looked presentable again. "It's okay…"

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Rudy peered out the tinted windows to see streets and districts fly past them. There were so few predators on the street. It made him glad for home, where the few predators in the area roamed freely.

Where no predators had yet to go savage.

Everything got dark. Rudy jumped, looking around wildly. Where was the light? What happened?

"Rudy, calm down!" A hoof found his paw. Bellwether. "We're in a tunnel. Give it a minute."

Rudy realized why it was so dark. The tinted windows cut out most of the lights in the tunnel. Once his eyes adjusted, he could see the faint orange lights at the top and sides of the tunnel flickering by. The bunny relaxed. He was glad for Bellwether's calmness.

He was glad she was coming with him to Cliffside. If a dark tunnel scared him, then how bad was a savage fox going to be?

.o.o.o.o.

Doug primed his gun with Night Howler pellets. One was good enough to start the process, which had always been rapid if not instantaneous, but further testing show that increased exposure prolonged the effects. The stuff did eventually wear off but a good dose could last days, even weeks in a smaller target.

Nick Wilde wasn't very big, but he wasn't exactly small either. Doug had to weigh the pros and cons of using multiple pellets. He had yet to finish the colorless version, so he needed to deal with the amount of blue on the fox. It wasn't like he could hide it just yet.

Good thing all the mammals here seemed too stupid to notice a spot of blue on most savage predators. They were too busy running for their lives.

The ram put in the last pellet and left his lab, locking up behind himself. He didn't want some new worker or a stray reporter slinking in there and finding his serum. Bellwether would have his head for that!

Better safe than sorry, right? Rules to live by, in his opinion.

Once he was done, he made the rounds. Older workers steered clear of him, noting the weapon and quickly getting out of his way. Doug appreciated that, though never aloud. The fear was too funny to ruin.

Doug started by going through each floor. He had no clue where exactly Bellwether would start little Hopps at so he decided to cover his wooly behind by making sure all floors were accounted for. Predators of all shapes and sizes filled the cells, fitted with bulletproof glass fronts with holes, both for air circulation and ease of shooting. He checked the charts by each cell, noting the last time they were administered and how long currently savage inmates had left until the serum wore off. Anyone with less than a day left was darted, just to be sure.

Had to put on quite the wild show for Hopps, right? Couldn't let the kid suspect something was amiss, like what his sister had done.

Doug always tried to aim for the nape of the neck. If not that, then go for the belly. Savages tended to hunch up on all fours, making those areas difficult to see, especially in the dim lighting of the cells. The less blue a bystander saw, the better the effect.

He shot thirty-two predators by the time he reached Nick Wilde's cell. The fox was huddled in the far corner, dressed in a fresh shirt and pants. His last set had been shredded and stained in Night Howler serum from several weeks of darting. Nick was the subject Doug tested his new Night Howler protocols on. It was a given that he'd be continuously darted for weeks on end in order to get results for new tests with the serum, especially the batch sent overseas.

Doug tapped the glass, smirking crookedly when Nick jumped. Wide green eyes, bloodshot and teary, met his before a loud whine built in Nick's throat. Doug leveled the gun into one of the holes.

Nick yelped, diving away. Doug steeled himself, managing to avoid shooting. He waited while Nick raced around, dodging and weaving and performing every evasive maneuver a fox could. If Nick registered that he wasn't being shot at yet, he wasn't showing it.

Doug tapped his foot impatiently but made himself wait. It always took several minutes for the fox to wear himself out. No need to waste Night Howler on the walls or floor.

Nick eventually did wear himself out. The fox was older by fifteen years and post-traumatic stress disorder did a number on him. His fur had darkened in places but Doug had laughed when he'd found gray hairs along Nick's muzzle, nape, and tail. From stress, the ram guessed. It wasn't uncommon.

The fox slunk back to his corner, curling up tightly, belly hidden, nape crushed to the corner. Doug frowned, teeth bared. The fox had always been a defiant little thing. It didn't help that he knew about the Night Howler, its effects, and where Doug tended to shoot. Nick wasn't stupid, unfortunately. Nick was the only challenge Doug got in this place and that was usually welcome.

But not today. Today he needed to finish the job fast. He needed Nick to cooperate.

And that just wasn't happening.

"Tch!" Doug snorted, withdrawing his gun. He grabbed the radio off of his belt. "Burt, where are you? I need you over here in front of cell two-oh-five. He's not cooperating and the mayor's going to be here in twenty minutes with Hopps. I have orders to make this one extremely savage for them."

A voice, low and deep, almost hard to understand amidst the radio crackling, responded several minutes later. "Be up in a minute."

Doug tapped his hooves impatiently as he waited. The ding of an elevator five minutes later made him smile poisonously at Nick. The fox hunkered down in his corner, eyes wide.

Heavy steps sounded down the hall until a massive bison came into view. The mammal, covered in brown fur and sporting curled horns on the sides of his skull, stopped beside Doug and looked at Nick with a passive, almost sad-looking expression. It was a look of pity.

There were no words exchanged. The bison, Burt, opened the cell door and walked in. Nick began to keen and whine, words unable to express his fear. The bison grasped Nick by the shoulders and picked him up. The fox wiggled weakly, continuing to whine. His shirt was unbuttoned and pulled away, leaving Nick in only his pants.

Burt turned, holding the fox steady, and nodded to Doug. The ram leveled his gun at Nick's underbelly and opened fire. Nick yelped, curling inward as his stomach was sucked in. Three thick bursts of blue stained the white of his belly fur. Nick whined loudly. His stomach felt like it was on fire from the harsh impacts.

Burt put Nick down gently in the center of the room, taking the fox's shirt as he left. The door closed behind the bison, who promptly left. Doug smiled, watching the fox twitch and squirm on the floor, growls escaping the predator as the serum made its way into his system.

The serum was fast acting, absorbing through the skin. Doug had tested direct bloodstream contact and discovered it was far more potent than his usual method, but it could physically cripple the victim's internals. Bellwether had ordered against such a method. The savages were useless post-darting if they were crippled. Doug agreed and stowed the method away for later use.

If Nick wasn't so useful for propaganda reasons, Doug would've darted him like that. Just to show the world he could. Even if they'd never know it was him.

"Enjoy your visit with Hopps, Wilde. I'm sure he will."

Doug walked away, a laugh on his lips. Nick twisted, snarling before lunging about the room wildly.

A savage once more.

.o.o.o.o.

"Here we are. Cliffside," Bellwether said softly.

The river roared around the bridge and building, waterfalls spilling down hundreds of feet to the bay far below. They were way out of town. The place was patrolled by dozens of timber wolves, all collared. They parted like a furry sea as the car went through.

They parked right in front of the tall building. It looked like some kind of hospital to Rudy. But what was a hospital doing all the way out here?

"Stay close. There are a lot of detained savage predators here, Rudy," Bellwether explained, hopping out of the car. "I don't want you getting lost in there, okay?"

"Got it," Rudy nodded, hopping from the car to stand beside the mayor. "Lead the way."

So Bellwether did. Manny stayed in the car, waving as they went in.

"This place used to be a hospital before predators began going savage fifteen years ago," Bellwether explained as they headed through the empty lobby to the elevator in the back. "When the attacks began, this place was cleared and the savages were brought here for research and treatment. But we've made no breakthrough. Judy was the one to link it to their biology…and it seems like their biology refuses to return to a civilized state of being."

"So…there's no cure? No way to get them back to normal?" Rudy asked, following her into the elevator.

"Not that we've found. But I haven't given up," Bellwether replied firmly, straightening her posture as the elevator went up. "I have some of Zootopia's greatest minds working to fix this mess. I promise you, even if it takes a few decades, even centuries, we will find a cure for this!"

Rudy smiled. "I'm sure my sister would be proud," Rudy admitted.

"I hope so. I haven't even let a day go by without thinking of her sacrifice," the sheep admitted. "She fought so hard…"

The elevator dinged, the doors parting to reveal two large rams. Bellwether waved them aside and started walking, the bell around her neck chiming. Rudy followed her, wary. The rams certainly looked brutish. It was frightening.

"Ah, Mayor Bellwether!" Doug called, waving. "He's right here. I think he got a bit too excited when he heard he was having guests."

"Any progress?" Bellwether asked.

Doug shook his head. "Nothing. Maybe he reacted to the name Hopps. Can't tell for sure, though."

Rudy looked around as he headed toward where Doug was. Lining the walls were large cells, thick metal with glass fronts full of small holes. In each cage was a predator, most content to lurk in the darkness of their cell, growling and hissing. His fur was on end. Why was it so dark in here?

"We've got to keep the lighting dim. When they go savage, they avoid bright lights. It makes them more volatile," Doug said, as if reading the bunny's mind. "Sorry for the spook factor, Hopps. It's just protocol."

"No, I'm… I'm fine…with the dark," Rudy lied weakly. _If only I had night vision, this wouldn't be as spooky…_

Doug chuckled. "Sure you are. Wilde is in this one. Careful, though. He's been particularly savage today."

The cell looked empty. Rudy stepped close, squinting. He was tempted to pull the penlight from his belt to see better.

A blur of something big surged forward. Red and black. Teeth, claws. A snarl.

Rudy yelped, scrambling back and tripping over his feet in his hurry to get away from the glass. The ram chuckled. Bellwether glared at him before helping Rudy up.

"Are you okay? I was about to warn you—"

Rudy looked up to see a wild-eyed red fox at the glass, scratching at the holes, growling. He wore pants but nothing else. The dim lighting made it hard to make out any specific features. Having its face against the glass wasn't helping either.

Then he was gone, zipping back into the dark, diving under a bed. He snarled, a gurgling noise deep in his chest.

"That…is Nick Wilde?" Rudy choked.

"Well, he was. Now he's just a savage fox," Doug replied, shrugging. "He won't react to his name anymore. Won't react to anything unless he thinks he can eat it."

Rudy's heart boomed in his ears. He couldn't stop shaking.

This was impossible. His sister would never befriend a fox. There had to be a mistake. If predators were going savage, why would she stay by a fox's side? His sister wasn't that crazy!

…Right?

"…dy? …udy? …Rudy!"

The bunny jumped instantly at the noise, paws on his fox repellent canister. Hooves caught him, stopping him. He looked up, breathing fast, into Bellwether's face. The sheep looked frightened.

"Rudy… Are you okay?" she asked, voice wavering, afraid.

"…Are you completely sure that's him?" Rudy choked.

"DNA doesn't lie," Doug said.

"And he hasn't…gone back to normal…at all…since he went savage?"

"Not even for a second. He's been like this, just like the others, for fifteen years," Doug nodded.

"…And there's no cure?"

"Not a successful one. Plenty of failed cures," Doug admitted. "We're still working on it."

"Rudy, are you okay? Should we…?" Bellwether gestured for the elevator.

Rudy wanted to stay. He wanted to stand tall and brave in front of that cell. He wanted to talk to Nick Wilde without flinching, demand answers out of him. He wanted to be courageous in the face of such savagery.

…But he couldn't.

"Y…yeah. Let's go," Rudy nodded meekly.

Bellwether helped him to his feet, an arm around his shoulders as the pair headed for the elevator. Doug smiled, tapping the glass of Nick Wilde's cell. A growl came from under the bed.

"Good job, Wilde. Good job," he chuckled.

.o.o.o.o.

The walk back to the car was silent. The drive back to Rudy's apartment was equally quiet. Rudy could think of nothing except that toothy muzzle, those wild eyes, that red fur. The monster that killed his sister. Her so-called 'friend'.

They came to a stop outside of his apartment building. "Rudy, I… I'm sorry," the mayor choked. Maybe that was a bad ide—"

"It's fine. It was my idea, anyway," Rudy interrupted, voice dull, tired. "It's not your fault. I wanted to see my sister's killer and I saw him."

"…If you need to talk, you have my number. Rudy, please…" Bellwether stressed sadly. "I just want to help you."

"…I know," Rudy muttered. "Good night, mayor."

Rudy walked to the front door and went inside. The mayor's car drove away. Rudy walked past the lobby, up the stairs, and stopped at his doormat. He sighed, resting his head on the wood.

 _What did I think that was going to accomplish?_ he wondered. _Did I really think I was going to be able to speak to him and get answers? He can't even talk. He doesn't even know his name._

The bunny sighed, straightening and pulling out his room key. Maybe he'd call in for tomorrow. He needed to be alone, have some time to think. His grand plan of figuring out why his sister had returned to Zootopia was a bust.

He needed to figure out what to do next.

He unlocked his door and went in, pulling off his coat and working on his uniform. He'd jump into his pajamas, eat some dinner, and go to bed. He'd avoid calling home tonight. No need to tell his parents about his trip today. It'd just make them worry about him too much.

 **CRINKLE CRINK!**

Rudy froze, ears shooting up. That sounded like…a chip bag? It was too clear to be coming from Bucky and Pronk's room. It was in this apartment.

He crept forward slowly toward the bathroom. The door was open and the light was on. Looking straight ahead, the bunny noticed his window was wide open too.

A burglar?

His paws wrapped around the fox repellent at his hip. Hopefully it would be strong enough to drive away whoever had broken in here.

He whipped around the corner, canister in paw, ready to shoot.

"Whoa! Whoa! Don't shoot! It's me, little guy!"

It was Finnick, standing in Rudy's bathtub, a bag of chips in one paw and sunglasses in the other. His paws were held out in a peace gesture, tan fur bristled at the sight of the canister. He was wearing the same clothes he'd worn when Rudy met him yesterday.

"Easy there, buddy. Put the fox spray down. Please?" Finnick asked.

Rudy hesitated before doing so. "Finnick, you… Why are you in my bathtub? How did you…? Why are you here? How did you find where I lived?"

"Friend of a friend," Finnick replied, lowering his paws. "Sorry for the spook. Got hungry waitin' for you to get back."

Rudy sighed. "Look, Finnick, this is a bad ti—"

"You went and saw Nick, right?"

The bunny froze. "…How did you know that?"

"Friend of a friend," Finnick replied. "Look, I haven't seen or heard from Nick in fifteen years since they locked him up in Cliffside. When I heard ya went to see him, I knew I had to be here to get the details from ya."

"How could you have known I was going to Cliffside? The mayor and I were the only ones who knew we were going," Rudy argued.

"Wrong," the small fox smirked. "I got my ways. Connections. But enough about that. Tell me about Nick."

"I…" Rudy sighed. "…You're not gonna like what you hear."

"I don't have to like it," Finnick replied, leaning on the tub rim. "I've just got to know."

Rudy sighed. "Okay, okay. So this is what happened…"

.o.o.o.o.

"Then I came home and found you in my bathtub. That's it."

Finnick whistled, crunching down the last of his chips. "Man, oh man. This is worse than we thought."

"We? Finnick, wha—"

"Sorry, buddy, gotta cut you off right there. I'm under oath not to breathe a word about this to you until the time is right, so please don't ask," Finnick said sternly, hopping out of the tub and dropping the empty chip bag in the garbage can with a sharp sound. "Just gonna give you this to chew on. Don't be so fast to believe what you see and hear about predators from little miss Mayor Fluff there, okay?"

"Mayor Fluff? …You mean Bellwether?" Rudy asked.

"That's the one! Be careful. She's not all she appears to be," Finnick said, heading into the main room. He pulled himself onto the windowsill. "Just play it cool, be the little hopeful hero she wants, and leave everything to us."

"Wait, what do you mean? Finnick!" Rudy shouted.

"Maybe I'll tell ya one day. But not now. Don't want to rock the boat so soon after ya get here. Just don't mention me or anythin' we talked about. This stays between us, all hush-hush like. Got it?" Finnick asked, fingers to his lips.

"No, I don't get it! What are you talking about? What's going on?" Rudy demanded.

Finnick frowned, climbing over the windowsill edge until he dangled by his hands. He looked at Rudy one last time and grinned toothily.

"A little thing called…justice."

Finnick let go, dropping out of sight. Rudy yelped, lunging for the window and sticking his head out of it. Down below was Finnick's van, which the tiny fox slid down the side of to reach street level. Then he climbed into the car and drove away.

Rudy watched the painted van disappear into Savanna Central. Pulling his head back into his apartment, he pulled the window shut and sat on his bed. He rested his head in his paws.

 _What was that all about?_

Rudy forced himself to move several minutes later, stripping out of his police uniform and pulling on his pajamas. He cooked a Hungry Bunny dinner-for-one, ate it, and fell into bed. He was asleep within a few minutes.


End file.
